Middletown was settled from New York and New England. " It is," says Colonel Morris, " a

» See vol. 1. 136.

310 HISTORY OF THE

large township : there is no such thing as a church or reHgion amongst them. They are, perhaps, the most ignorant people in the world." The colonel describes the settlers of West Jersey as "a hotch potch of all religions," and the youth as being '• very debauched and very ignorant, &c."a

Among the early benefactors to Trinity Church, New York, occurs the name of Lewis Morris, who contributed the timber for its erection. In return for this act of munificence, the vestry of that church granted the family a square pew. The Hon. Lewis Morris died in the spring of 1746, aged 73. " He directed his body to be buried at Morrisania, in a plain coffin, without covering or lining with cloth ; he prohibited rings and scarfs from being given at his funeral ; he wished no man to be paid for preaching a funeral sermon upon him, though if any man, churchman or dissenter, minister or not, was inclined to say any thing on the occasion, he should not object. He prohibited any mourning dress to be worn on his account, as he should die when divine Providence should call him away, and was unwilling thai his friends should be at the unnecessary expense, which was owing only to the common folly of mankind."'' To his eldest son, Lewis Morris, he bequeathed all that part of Morrisania lying to the eastward of the mill brook, and the remainder westward of the same stream, called Old Morrisania^ to his wife Isabella.'^